Deputy head of Islamic State in Somalia killed by airstrike

The deputy leader of Islamic State, IS, in Somalia has been killed by an airstrike that hit a car he was travelling in with another occupant, the VOA Somali service reports.

A regional security minister also confirmed the death of Abdihakim Dhoqob. The incident took place in the east of the country’s Puntland region today (April 14).

Minister Abdisalam Mohamed Gallan told Harun Maruf, a VOA journalist who extensively covers Somalia that the slain IS leader’s vehicle was hit near Hiriro village located in Puntland’s Bari region.

Somalia’s major security headache has been the incessant terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabaab insurgents. IS has also upped their operations in the country but being far less deadlier than Al-Shabaab.

The two groups have routinely clashed in deadly exchanges in what analysts say is a battle for turf and supremacy. Even outside of Somalia, Al-Shabaab are known to be active in neighbouring Kenya. Their most recent attack being the abduction of Cuban doctors late last week.

The United States as part of their support for the counter-terrorism insurgency has conducted targeted airstrikes on leaders of Al-Shabaab. Their strikes have drawn criticism after it was confirmed that in some instances they have killed civilians for different reasons.

Al-Shabaab attacks have earned Somalia the label of one of the deadliest countries in the world along with Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgents.